German representatives criticize Polish Baltic Sea oil drilling plan

(MENAFN) German authorities and environmental advocates have voiced strong opposition to Poland’s plans to develop a newly discovered oil and gas field in the Baltic Sea, citing fears of severe ecological damage, according to media reports on Tuesday.

The field, named Wolin East, was discovered by the Canadian firm Central European Petroleum (CEP), which has held exploration rights off Poland’s western coastline since 2017. CEP announced on Monday that the deposit is the largest hydrocarbon find in Poland and one of the most significant in Europe over the past decade. Located just 6 kilometers from the port of Swinoujscie—on an island shared by Germany and Poland—the field reportedly contains over 33 million tons of oil and 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas. CEP believes the site has a potential output exceeding 400 million barrels of oil equivalent.

German officials expressed concerns that the project could negatively impact regional tourism and marine biodiversity. Till Backhaus, Environment Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, criticized the Polish government for failing to notify Germany about the project, potentially breaching cross-border environmental agreements. He argued that the drilling efforts conflict with the interests of Germany's environment and tourism sectors.

Laura Isabelle Marisken, mayor of Heringsdorf—a popular German seaside resort on the shared island—demanded clarification from Warsaw and protection from Berlin, warning that the area should not be turned into a “political-industrial game.”

Environmental group Lebensraum Vorpommern echoed these concerns, accusing Poland of endangering the protected Wolin coastline. The organization said it plans to take legal action against the Polish government and warned of a looming ecological disaster.

Berlin has yet to issue an official response to the project.

Polish officials, however, regard the discovery as a major step toward energy independence. Deputy Minister and Chief Geologist Krzysztof Galos stated that the deposit could meet 4–5% of Poland’s annual oil needs, with production expected to begin within 3–4 years, pending regulatory approval.

This discovery comes as EU countries continue to seek alternatives to Russian energy amid ongoing sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict. Russia has criticized these sanctions as unlawful and warned that the bloc may face rising energy costs or end up relying on indirect imports.

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